*
Can't find it?
* Get
notified
when a new patent matches your "search terms".
More info...
08/09/07
-
Class 220
News
Monitor Keywords
Archive
Organizer
Account
|
|
Prev
-
Next
Gauge to indicate the level of beverage held in a beverage container
Abstract:
An insulation beverage container (
10
) is provided and includes a gauge (
40
) for indicating the level of beverage held in the container (
10
). The gauge (
40
) includes a float (
42
) positioned within the container (
10
), a visual indicator (
44
) extending outside of the container (
10
), and a link (
46
) connecting the float (
42
) to the indicator (
44
) to move the indicator (44) with the float (
42
) as the position of the float (
42
) varies with the level of the beverage in the container (
10
). (end of abstract)
Agent:
Wood, Phillips, Katz, Clark & Mortimer
-
Chicago, IL, US
Inventor:
Marvin Lane
USPTO Applicaton #:
#20070181585
-
Class:
220592160
(USPTO)
Related Patent Categories:
Receptacles
,
Receptacle Having Means To Facilitate Maintaining Contents Above Or Below Ambient Temperature (e.g., Compartment For Holding A Heat Exchange Medium)
,
For A Beverage
Gauge to indicate the level of beverage held in a beverage container description/claims
The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070181585, Gauge to indicate the level of beverage held in a beverage container.
Brief Patent Description
-
Full Patent Description
-
Patent Application Claims
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to apparatus for determining the level of beverage contained in a beverage container, and in more particular applications to determining the level of beverage contained in insulated and/or nontransparent beverage containers.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Some beverage containers, particularly those that are insulated, do not provide an adequate view of the beverage contained therein in order to determine the level of the beverage held in the container, i.e., how full the container is. Examples of such beverage containers include coffee pots or servers and coffee urns, such as gravity feed servers with a spout located at or near a bottom of the server to dispense the beverage. For these types of beverage containers, one known gauge is provided in the form of a vertical glass tube that is connected by various plumbing between the bottom of the container and the spout. U.S. Pat. No. 6,505,752shows a similar gauge that is built into the handle of a coffee server. While these constructions may work well for their intended purpose, there are some disadvantages. For example, the structure of these known gauges can be complicated, difficult to clean, and/or expensive to manufacture or maintain. Cleaning can be particularly important in the restaurant industry due to NSF (National Sanitation Foundation) cleaning standards.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] In accordance with one form of the invention, an insulated beverage container is provided and includes an insulated body surrounding a beverage holding volume, a lid located above the volume, and a gauge to indicate the level of beverage held in the container. The gauge includes a float positioned within the container, a visual indicator extending outside of the container, and a link connecting the float to the indicator to move the indicator with the float as the position of the float varies with the level of beverage in the container. The link includes a rod that is slidably received in the lid of the container to allow for linear movement of the rod relative to the lid and the container.
[0004] According to one form of the invention, a gauge is provided for a beverage container, the gauge indicating the level of beverage held in the container. The gauge includes a float positioned within the container, a visual indicator extending outside of the container, and a link connecting the float to the indicator to move the indicator with the float as the position of the float varies with the level of beverage in the container. The link includes a rod that is slidably received in a lid of the container to allow for linear movement of the rod relative to the lid and the container.
[0005] In one form, the rod is connected directly to the float.
[0006] According to one form, the link further includes a pivot mounting the float for pivotal movement within the container; and a guide arm extending between the float and the pivot, with the rod connected to said arm to transmit the pivotal movement of the float to the rod.
[0007] In accordance with one form, the guide arm includes a linear slot and the rod includes a tab slidably received in said slot.
[0008] In one form, the rod engages the guide arm over a portion of the guide arm that is closer to the pivot than the float.
[0009] According to one form, the pivot includes an end of the guide arm pivotably engaged with a bracket extending downward from the lid into the container.
[0010] In one form, the end of the guide is snap fit to an axle on said bracket.
[0011] In accordance with one form, the indicator includes an end of the rod.
[0012] According to one form, the indicator includes a rotatable shaft mounted on the lid, and a pinion on the shaft; and the link includes a rack on the rod and engaged with the pinion to transmit the linear motion of the rod to the rotatable shaft.
[0013] In one form, the indicator includes a pivotable arm mounted on the lid; and the link includes a cam on the rod and engaged with the indicator arm to transmit the linear motion of the rod to the pivotable arm.
[0014] Other objectives, aspects, and advantages of the invention will be realized from a detailed review of the entire specification, including the appended drawings and claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] FIG. 1 is a partial section view of an insulated beverage container incorporating a gauge in body of the invention;
[0016] FIG. 2 is a complete sectioned view of the beverage container in gauge of FIG. 1;
[0017] FIG. 3 shows a lid in the gauge of FIG. 1 taken from line 3-3 in FIG. 1;
[0018] FIG. 4 is a view taken from line 4-4 in FIG. 3;
[0019] FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the components shown in FIGS. 3 and 4;
[0020] FIG. 6 partially broken perspective view of an insulated gravity feed beverage container incorporating a gauge embodying the present invention;
Brief Patent Description
-
Full Patent Description
-
Patent Application Claims
Click on the above for other options relating to this Gauge to indicate the level of beverage held in a beverage container patent application.
###
How
KEYWORD MONITOR
works...
a
FREE
service from FreshPatents
1.
Sign up
(takes 30 seconds). 2.
Fill in the keywords
to be monitored.
3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords.
Start now!
- Receive info on patent apps like Gauge to indicate the level of beverage held in a beverage container or other areas of interest.
###
Previous Patent Application:
Portable double-walled fuel tank
Next Patent Application:
Insulating cover for disposable serving containers and method of using same
Industry Class:
Receptacles
###
FreshPatents.com Support
Thank you for viewing the
Gauge to indicate the level of beverage held in a beverage container
patent info.
AAPL - Apple
,
BA - Boeing
,
CALP
,
DTV - Direct TV
,
EBAY
,
FRX
,
GOOG - Google
,
HEPH
,
IBM
,
JBL - Jabil
,
KO - Coca Cola
,
LXRX
,
MOT - Motorla
IP-related news and info
Results in 0.18151 seconds
Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories:
Canon USA
,
Celera Genomics
,
Cephalon, Inc.
,
Cingular Wireless
,
Clorox
,
Colgate-Palmolive
,
Corning
,
Cymer
,
174
PATENT INFO
What Is a Patent?
What Is a Trademark or Servicemark?
What Is a Copyright?
Patent Laws
About this Page
noimage
